Secretary



Jan. 16, 1934. P. BELLAVIA 1,943,232

SECRETARY Filed May 20, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR vBYg'fw ALA ATTORNEY P. BELLAVIA Jan. 16, 1934.

SECRETARY Filed May 20 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Jan. 16, 1934. P. BELLAVIA 1,943,282

SECRETARY Filed May 20, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to furniture, more particularly to oflice furniture, and has for an object to. provide an improved construction of secretary.

The invention aims to provide a secretary adapted to be used for supporting a typewriter if desired .and to provide cabinets for the storage of files, papers, envelopes and the like within easy access of the user, and which is also provided with means facilitating the enclosure or folding up into compact form of the complete article of furniture, and for enclosing and locking in the typewriter or other instrument, devices, books or the like which may be employed, and to also provide a cabinet which may be in the form. of a safe which may be suitably locked or secured-in closed position.

The invention also has for an object the provision of certain detail constructions and arrangements of parts for insuring the easy operation thereof, the manual control and releasing of various latches and the like, and the simultaneous operation of certain cooperative parts of the device, all of which provide a compact, reliable and easily manipulated secretary.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a secretary constructed according to the present invention and shown as in enclosed and locked position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same in opened and unfolded position for use. I

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the intermediate portion of the device substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure l and showing the device folded, the dotted lines showing the cabinet sections in open position, such as shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device, with certain parts broken away and certain parts shown in section, and with the parts shown in open or spread position. a

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of the device in open position, and with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is a detail enlarged fragmentary section taken through the upper corner of the device as shown in Figure 2 and with'one of the side wings in raised position ready to be locked.

Figure '7 is a like view but taken through the showing in Figure '6 substantially on the line 7--7 thereof.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken vertically through the upper rear portion of the secretary, substantially on the line 88 of Figure 1 and showing a portion of the bracket arm operator associated with one of the side wings with the latter in raised or folded position.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken horizontally through the back portion of the device substantially on the line 99 of Figure 5 and showing the guide and traveler for the equalizing device for the wings.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View taken horizontally through the cabinet release means employed, the section taken substantially on the line 10--10 of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a transverse section taken through the same substantially on the line 1111 of Figure 10. 7

Figure 12 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the upper part of one of the cabinets and showing one of the reading racks or boards in set up position, and

Figure 13 is a horizontal section taken through 30 the same substantially on the line 13-13 of Figure 12.

The improved secretary of this invention comprises three sections, a central or table section, and a pair of opposite side cabinet sections.

The central or table section comprises a table top 20 which may be provided therebeneath with a drawer 21* of any approved form and which is supported upon four corner legs 22 as shown.

The legs. 22 may be given any suitable fanciful configuration and may be suitably interbraced, such as by a bottom board 23, side boards 24 and a back board 25. The back board 25 preferably extends above the plane of the table top 20, as shown in Figure 2, and the rear legs 22 may extend upwardly against the rear side of the back board 25 and be provided with a pair of vertical guide flanges 26 within which engage the opposite edge portions of a roll top 27. A top or cap strip 28 may be secured across the upper ends of the rear legs 22, and the back board 25 terminates in spaced relation beneath the strip 28 to provide a space through which the roll top 2'7 may freely operate. The roll top 27 is provided at its upper free edge with a cross strip 29 to which a handle 30 may be secured for operating the roll top 27, and which also may be provided with a locking bolt 31 adapted to enter a keeper slot 32 formed in the intermediate forward portion of the table top 20 for securing the roll top 27 in closed posi- 1 tion when the latter is drawn forwardly and downwardly over the table top 20.

The table top 20 may be provided with any suitable articles or structures desired, depending upon the use to which the improved article of furniture is to be put, and is adapted to support a typewriter or the like. For the purpose of enclosing the space above the table top 20, and beneath the roll top 27, the table top 20 is provided at opposite sides with a pair of wings 33 which may be of any desired configuration, but which preferably are wider at their rear ends and. which are curved forwardly at their upper edges so as to provide rounded front ends, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The wings 33 are connected by hinges 34 to the opposite lateral edges of the table top 20 and at their rear ends are of a width equal substantially to the height of the back portion of the device so that when the wings 33 are swung upwardly into vertical position, as shown in Figure 1, the wings will co-operate with the upward extension of the back to provide an enclosure. The outer edge portions of the wings 33, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, are provided with guideways 35 adapted to receive the opposite edge portions of the roll top 2'7 when the latter is drawn forwardly and downwardly.

Each wing 33 is provided at its rear outer corner portion with a chain 36 which extends inwardly and upwardly and is trained over a pulley 37 carried by the back structure, as shown in Figure 5, and each chain 36 is provided upon its inner lower end with a weight 38 adapted to counterbalance the respective wing 33 soas to facilitate the raising and lowering of the wings.

Means is provided for insuring the simultaneous and equal swinging movement of the wings 33, the means comprising an arm 39 for each wing and each arm 39 is mounted upon a pivot 40 carried by the back section and with one end of each arm extending outwardly in proximity to the adjacent wing 33 and connected thereto by a pin 41 which engages in a slot in the arm 39 so that when the section or wing 33 is swung upwardly the arm 39 will be swung on its pivot 40 and the inner end of the arm 39 will be lowered.

- The inner ends of the arms 39 are pivotally connected to the lower ends of a pair of links 42 which, as shown in Figures 5 and 9 particularly, are pivotally connected at their upper ends upon a traveler bolt 43 mounted toslide in a longitudinal slot or trackway 44 provided between a pair of guide strips 45 which are secured vertically upon the back structure and intermediate the opposite sides of the device.

When lowered, the wings 33 are supported upon hinged brackets 46 which are hingedly mounted upon the opposite outer sides of the table section. Each bracket 46 is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane and to engage beneath the adjacent wing 33 when the latter is lowered. For the purpose of automatically swinging these brackets 46 outwardly from the opposite sides of the table section as the wings 33 are lowered, a pair of cross arms 47 are mounted upon a pivot 48, the pivot 48 being disposed towards the rear portion of the table section and providing long 7 and short arms to the crossed structure. The long portions of the arms 4'? are pivotally and slidably connected to links 49 which extend outwardly through the opposite sides of the table section and are hingedly connected to the supporting brackets 46. A spring 50 is connected, between the long portions of the arms 47 so as to normally draw the same toward each other and thus collapse the brackets 46 against the opposite sides of the table section, as shown in the light dotted lines in Figure 4.

The rear end portions of the arms 4'7 are provided with push rods 51 which extend across in opposite directions from the respective arms 4'7 and project through suitable openings in the sides of the table section, the outer ends of the rods 51 being bent over or otherwise suitably shaped to engage the inner edges of the wings 33 below the hinges 34 thereof so that when the wing sections are swung downwardly into open position they will force the rods 51 inwardly and cause the forward ends of the crossed arms 4'7 to diverge and swing the brackets 46 outwardly into position to support the wings 33.

When the wing sections 33 are swung into raised position against the opposite edge portions of the back section, the wing sections 33 are adapted to be interlocked with the back section so as to completely and securely hold the parts in the form of an enclosure. To this end each wing section is provided near its outer rear corner with a recess 52 over which is secured a keeper plate 53, the latter being countersunk or otherwise suitably positioned against the inner face of the wing section 33 and adapted to receive therein a pivoted hook or latch 54, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the latch 54 being pivoted intermediate its ends upon a bracket 55 mounted upon the back board 25 adjacent to the front strip 29 of the roll top 2'7 when the latter is in full open position as shown in Figure 2.

The latch 54 is provided with a spring 56 which is also mounted upon the bracket 55 for the purpose of normally urging the latch 54 into interlocking engagement with the keeper plate 53, and the latch 54 is provided with an upstanding heel piece 57 which is rounded at its upper end and adapted to engage behind the front strip 29 of the roll top 2'7 when the latter is in full open position, as shown in Figures 6 and '7. The front piece or strip 29 is provided with a wear plate 58 with which the heel piece 5'7 of the latch is adapted to engage for the purpose of holding the latch 54 in retracted position, as clearly shown in Figure '7. As soon as the front strip 29 of the roll top 2'7 is drawn forwardly in the act of closing the upper compartment of the table, the latch 54 is released and the spring 56 thereof swings the latch into interlocking position so as to securely hold the wings 33 in their raised positions.

At one side of the table section is disposed a cabinet section 59 of any suitable configuration and provided therein with shelves 60 or the like to provide compartments of any desired size and arrangement. The cabinet section 59 is of, less height than the bottom of the drawer 21 and, as shown to advantage in Figure 3, is of a depth less than one-half the width of the table section so that when the section 59 is swung into closed position through an opening formed in the side board 24, the section 59 will be housed within the table section and beneath the drawer 21.

The cabinet section 59 is provided at its front portion with a vertically disposed slotted frame 61 having a supporting caster 62 at its outer cabinet section into position behind the leg 22, as shown in Figure 3. The guide groove in the frame 61 opens through the top thereof and is adapted to slidably receive therein a rack or support 64 which may be in the form of flat board and which is adapted to be raised out of the frame 61 for the purpose of supporting papers or the like in position to be easily read.

A guide strip 65 is hinged across the lower end of each rack 64 and is held in the guide frame 61 by an overhanging lip 66 adapted to engage against the underside of the top 67 of the cabinet section 59 to limit the raising of the supporting rack 64. A supporting latch 68 is mounted at one end upon a pivot stud 69 which projects from the lower side of the top 67 and is provided with a recess '70 at its free end adapted to receive and engage about the lip 66 to hold the strip 65 from sliding downwardly in the guideway of the frame 61. The latch 68 is shown in this locking position in Figure 12. The latch 68 is maintained in this locking position by a spring '71 which is carried by a pin '72 secured to the under-side of the top 67, the spring '71 engaging the inner side of the latch 68 and normally urging the same outwardly into engagement against the guide strip 65. The latch 68 may be easily disengaged by merely inserting the hand through the open front of the cabinet section 59 so as to retract the latch 68 from engagement with the guide strip 65, whereupon the rack 64 may be slid downwardly in the frame 61 for not only folding the rack 64 out of the way but to also close the front of the cabinet section 59. Figure 1 shows the cabinet section closed in this manner.

A tray 73 is secured by hinges '74 against the outer side of the cabinet section 59 and is adapted to be folded upwardly thereagainst, and is preferably tapered as to depth-from its front to its rear portion so as to facilitate the swinging of the cabinet section with the tray '72 thereon into the opening through the side board 24. A ledge plate '75 is carried along the upper edge of the guide frame 61 to form a suitable ledge or support for pencils or the like at the bottom of the rack 64 when the latter is in raised position. as shown in Figure 12.

An adjustable brace '76, preferably in the form of a wire bail, is pivotally mounted at its opposite ends to the opposite sides of the cabinet section 59 near the rear end thereof and extends forwardly and upwardly and adapted to engage in one of a series of notches 77 formed in a suitable strip 78 secured vertically across the rear side of the rack 64 to support the latter in inclined position. The bail 76 is of such length that it may be swung downwardly so that the closed end thereof will lie immediately behind u the grooved frame 61 and across the forward.

edge of the top 67, as clearly shown in Figure 3.

. Preferably, the guide frame 61 is of greater width than that of the cabinet section 59 and is so arranged as to engage at its outer edge portion in overlapping relation against the outer side .of the side boards 24 of the central section and to thus limit the inward swinging movement of the cabinet section 59.

The opposite side of the central table section is provided with a similar cabinet section 59 but which may have a vertical partition 79. therein dividing the cabinet section into vertical compartments, and this latter cabinet section may i be provided upon its top with a keeper plate 80 adapted'to interlock with the lower edge of a.

the lower end of the latch bar 81, as shown in Figure 11. The latch bar 81 is mounted in the table section beneath the top 20 and is provided with a slotted head 83 upon its upper end adapted to receive therein the rounded end of a lever 84 pivoted at 85 to the side of the central section and which at its other end is pivotally and slidably connected to a push button 86 which projects upwardly through the table top 20 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 10.

The push button 86 is located inwardly of the adjacent wings 33 so that when the wings are swung upwardly and the roll top 2'7 is pulled movement of the rack boards 64 so that the cabinet section 59 cannot be opened when the cabinet sections are swung into closed position, as shown in Figure 3. For the purpose of normally maintaining the push button 86 in raised position, a spring 87 is connected to the inner end of the lever or arm 84 and is also connected to the adjacent side portion of the table section so as to normally urge the inner end of the arm 84 downwardly and to maintain the latch bar 81 in depressed position as shown in Figures 10 and 11.

.On the edge of the intersecting sides of cabinet section 59, I provide a batten strip 78' one-half of which juts out into space as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The batten strip, when the sections are in closed position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, has its jutting end making contact with the side of the other cabinet section 59, to prevent the outward movement of the left cabinet section, unless the right section 59 is first released by the locking mechanism, as shown in Fig. 10 and above described.

From the above description it will be evident that in use, and when the device is closed as shown in Figure 1 and it is desired to use the secretary, it is only necessary to unlock the roll top 27 and slide it upwardly and backwardly into the position shown in Figure 2. As the strip 29 of the roll top reaches its rearmost position it brings the wear plates 58 into contact with the. heel portions 5'7 of the latches 54 and swings the latter forwardly so as to release the latch bolts 54 from the keeper plates 53. The wings or sides 33 may now be swung downwardly, pressure being exerted'against either one of the wings when,

upwardly out of the frame 61 until the guide strip 65 engages the lower curved surface of the latch 68, swings the latter backwardly sufficiently to permit the lip 66 to escape past the end of the latch 68 when the latter will snap into position beneath the lip 66 and hold the guide strip 65 in raised position as shown in Figure 12. The pivoted brace 76 is now adjusted to engage in a selected notch '77 for holding the rack or board 64 at the desired inclined position.

By depressing the button 86 the latch bar 81 is raised and the keeper plate 80 may be swung outwardly beneath the latch bar 81 and the right cabinet section 59 may be then swung around into open position as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The rack board 64 of this right cabinet section may now be drawn upwardly out of its frame 61 and adjusted as above described.

It will be noted from Figure 1 that when the cabinet sections 59 are swung backwardly and through the opposite side boards 24 into closed position that the inner sides of the cabinet section 59 provide a closure for the front of the central or table section.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction ried at the rear portion of said table section and adapted to be drawn forwardly and downwardly over said wing sections when raised to entirely close the compartment above the table section, and pivotal linkage means in connection with each wing for permitting downward-swinging movement of the wing when said roll top is raised.

2. In a secretary, a central table section with a back portion rising above the same, a pair of wings hinged to the opposite lateral edge portions 7 of the table section and adapted to be swung downwardly to provide continuations of the table section and adapted to be swung upwardly against the opposite edges of the back portion to enclose the space above thetable section, a roll top carried by said back section, guides carried by the upper edge portions of said wings adapted to receive said roll top when drawn forwardly to completely enclose the space above the table section, and interlocking means between the back section and said side sections for holding the same together and co-operating with said roll top to release said side sections when the roll top is in open position.

3. In a secretary, a table top provided with an upstanding back portion, a pair of wings pivoted along the opposite lateral edges of said table section and adapted to be swung upwardly thereon into engagement with the opposite edges of said back portion, latches carried by the back portion adapted to engage said wings when raised to interlock the same to the back portion, a roll top carried by the back portion and adapted to be drawn forwardly and downwardly over the upper edge portions of said wings to enclose the space above the table section, and releasing means on the roll top for releasing said latches when the roll top is opened.

4. In a secretary, having a table section, a back section rising from the rear portion of the table section, a pair of side wings pivotally connected to the table section and adapted to be swung upwardly against the back section to enclose the upper portion of the table section, linkage connections between said wings for causing the simultaneous and equal swinging movement of the same, latch means for the wing sections adapted to secure the same in raised position against the back section, a top closure carried by the back sectionadapted to extend forwardly and downwardly over the upper edge portions of said wing sections, and releasing means carried by the top closure adapted to engage said latches and release the same from the wing sections when the top closure is in open position.

5. In a secretary having a table section with a back portion rising above the same, a pair of wings pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the table section and adapted to swing outwardly and extend horizontally therefrom to provide a continuation of the table section, a top closure carried by the back section adapted to be drawn forwardly therefrom to enclose the space between the wings and the back portion, and braces carried by the table section and located beneath said wings and connected with said wings said braces being projected horizontally when said wings are swung downwardly.

6. A secretary comprising a table section having a back portion rising therefrom, a pair of wings hingedly connected at the opposite sides of the table section and adapted to be swung downwardly and outwardly therefrom to provide continuations of the table section, a pair of braces hingedly mounted upon the table section at the opposite sides thereof, means operating to extend the braces beneath said wing sections when the latter are lowered, and devices connected with said means and carried on the table section and arranged in the path of said wings and adapted to be engaged by the wings when the latter are swung downwardly, said devices thereby extending said braces for supporting the wings in horizontal position.

7. In 'a secretary, a table section having a back portion rising therefrom, a pair of wings hinged to the opposite sides of said table section, counterbalancing means carried by the back portion and connected to said wings for counterbalancing the weight thereof, motion transmitting means arranged between the wings for causing the same to move equally and simultaneously by pressure exerted upon one of the wings, wing braces'carried by the table section, and means operable by the lowering of the Wings for extending'said braces into position to engage said wings and support the same when lowered.

8. In a secretary, a table section having a back portion projecting therefrom, a pair of side wings each hinged to the opposite sides of the table section, latching means on the back portion for engaging the side wings, a top closure carried by the back portion adapted to be moved upwardly along the upper edges of the wing sections, means on the back portion in connection with the wings for counterbalancing the weight of the wings when swinging downwardly to the sides of the table section, linkage means on the back portion and between the wings for causing the same to move equally and simultaneously upon actuation of one of the wings, and braces on the opposite sides of the table section, said braces being automatically horizontally projected wings toward the back wall and covering the top of said enclosure, counter-weighting means in connection with the wings for counterbalancing the same upon outwardly swinging said wings, and releasable latching means between the back Wall and each wing permitting outward swinging of the wings upon movement of the roll member.

PETER BELLAVIA. 

